During a recent hearing by the House of Representatives Veterans Affairs (VA) Sub-Committee on Health, an American Legion Director spoke about the dangers of staff shortages among physician and medical specialists within the Veterans Health Administration. Similarly, the Department of Veterans Affairs is warning of a rapidly growing backlog for veterans who seek to appeal decisions involving disability benefits.

Recent innovations at the Veterans Health Administration are a result of the VHA’s efforts to implement new and creative methods to solve an array of health care challenges. Technology innovations can help to deliver essential health care outside the confines of a doctor’s office.

See how the VHA is adapting to emerging health care needs via the informative links on this webpage: http://bit.ly/2dtf6v7

VA’s goal is to ensure the Veterans Health Administration is the nation’s most efficient and high-performing medical network for both its patients and its employees. Recently, the VA Under Secretary for Health discussed the steps VA is taking to achieve this goal.

The Federal Commission on Care is wrapping up its report to Congress on how best to organize the Veterans Health Administration for the next generation of veterans. With roughly two months left for the Commission to write its recommendations, several veteran organizations met with commissioners recently to discuss the Commission’s work, but more importantly to convey what type of health system veterans want, need, and deserve.

The American Legion recently emphasized to Congress that the VA must develop a program to include a patient-centered care strategy which takes veterans’ unique medical injuries and illnesses as well as their travel and distance into account. The VA Under Secretary for Health recently addressed actions underway to transform the Veterans Health Administration and move it into an integrated community care model.